It Is Important To Be Something


This is like a life. This is lifelike.
I climb inside a mistake
and remake myself in the shape
of a better mistake —
a nice pair of glasses
without any lenses,
shoes that don’t quite fit,
a chest that always hurts.
There is a checklist of things
you need to do to be a person.
I don’t want to be a person
but there isn’t a choice,
so I work my way down and
kiss the feet.
I work my way up and lick
the knee.
I give you my skull
to do with whatever you please.
You grow flowers from my head
and trim them too short.
I paint my nails nice and pretty
and who cares. Who gives a shit.
I’m trying not to give a shit
but it doesn’t fit well on me.
I wear my clothes. I wear my body.
I walk out in the grass and turn red
at the sight of everything.



Two Poems by Khadijah Queen

From “I'm So Fine: A List of Famous Men & What I Had On”; “Theory: Evidence of uncertain shifts”


Initiation

"Your friend has entered the tribe / of those who’ve buried their mothers"